Brace for lady&#39;s garment



April 29, 1952 A. LlCHT BRACE FOR LADYS GARMENT 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 FiledAug. 12, 1947 INVENTOR. Anna Lz'cfii April 29, 1952 A L T BRACE FORLADYS GARMENT Filed Aug. 12, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 JNVENTOR. Anna Lia/22Patented Apr. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE- 2 Claims.

The present invention is concerned with a ladys garment of the bustcovering type, including a brassiere, a corselet top, a bathing or swimsuit, a play suit, a bare shoulder dress, halter, i. e., a garment thatfastens around the neck and drapes the torso to cover the bust, a dickeyor vestee, i. e., a garment with or without a back and that is tailoredtoward the shoulders and neck, a bust shaped slip, an inner liningintroduced specifically for bust control, a formal evening dress, and apiece of fabric, either square or triangular to be draped around thebust.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a compact, simpleand inexpensive brace attachment or accessory for such garment which maybe readily applied thereto, both for the type of garment equipped withshoulder straps as well as for the strapless type of garment, which maybe so applied either by the manufacturer or by the wearer to convert agarment of otherwise conventional type into one that affords adequatesupport and improved appearance to the wearer, which attachment may bereadily adapted by the wearer to the particular outline desired, andwhich admits of ready removal of the stiffening brace elements forlaundering of the garment and facility for readily reinserting suchbrace for use.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown one or more of variouspossible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

I tratively made of a ribbon of bias-cut fabric.

vFig. 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of the brace attachmentunit,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but shown applied to the garment andshowing a portion of the sheath ripped open and part of the bracewithdrawn therefrom,

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional detail views on a larger scale, takenrespectively on lines 3-3, 4-4 and 55 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a strap type brassiere with the accessoryattached,

Fig. 7 is a similar view of a strapless type of brassiere,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the mode of attaching theaccessory to a brassire,

Fig. 9 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1 of the attachment side of analternative form of brace,

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view thereof on a larger scale takenon line IIl-I0 of Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of a garment with I The length of saidribbon is transversely folded at I2 at its middle and the lateral edgesthereof are stitched together and the sheath thus formed is turnedinside out for infold at I I and concealment of said stitches as at I3.The sac thus formed, closed at the folded end I2 and open at theopposite end I4 has longitudinal lines of stitching I5 therethroughdefining a tunnel I6 therebetween for the brace B to be now describedand defining webs I1 laterally of the tunnel for attachment to thegarment. Desirably transverse stitching I8 is provided across the openend I4 of the sheath, save between the lines of stitching I5.

The brace B is an arcuate member of suitable wire, naked or covered, orof plastic or other material of sufiicient stifiness'to beform-sustaining and of sufficient plasticity to admit of slightdeformation by hand for adaptation to the particular form of the wearer.The arcuate brace when introduced into the tunnel I6 of the sheathcauses that sheath by virtue of the bias-cut of its fabric to becomeneatly curved without objectionable wrinkling, to the arcuateconformation of the brace B itself.

A preferred form of brace is of the type generally described in my priorpatent, Reissue No. 22,771, dated July 16, 1946. In general this bracecomprises a unitary piece of stainless steel wire, preferably of aboutI5 gauge, which is conformed into a narrow loop of arcuate outline, theconvexity of one length or span I9 thereof being nested in the concavityof the companion length or span 20 thereof, the ends of said lengths orspans being connected by unitary hairpin turns 2I, as shown. Thesubstantially abutting extremities 22 of the unitary piece of wire aredisposed adjacent one of the hairpin turns and preferably along theinner or nested span I 9, as shown. Desirably the wire ends aremaintain-ed assembled by a sheet metal clip constituting a web 23bridging across one face of the double wire brace near one end thereof,and having unitary end loops 24 snugly embracing the ends of the wire ofthe respective spans I9 and 2B and straddling the substantially abuttingextremities 22 of the wire piece. Thereby'the separation or breakage ofthe wire brace at or near the points of abutment is precluded andrequisite stiffness is afforded near that extremity thereof at which thewire ends abut. Moreover the web of the clip affords a convenientsurface for commercial markings.

It will'be obvious that the manufacturer of the garment can readilyattach the sheath b stitching the attachment webs I! of the sheath tothe garment along the border of the breast cups, with the accessorycompletely assembled, that is with the brace B in place in its tunnell6, and imparting to the latter the curvature of the brace.

When the sheath I is attached beneath the bust, the brace is suitablefor the type of garment having shoulder straps 25 as shown in Fig. 6while, when attached laterally and preferably between the breasts asshown, the accessory pair affords adequate support for the straplesstype of garment, as shown in Fig. 7. Of course, the latter mode ofattachment could be used if desired also with the strap type of garmentshown in Fig. 6.

By the arrangement set forth, the brace serves as a template forfacilitating the correct attachment of the sheath to the garment and, inwear, affords the support desired. Yet the brace is readily removablefrom the garment by pulling it out from the sheath through the. open endI4 thereof to facilitate laundering or for wear under conditions whenthe brace support is not desired. The removed brace .may be readilyreinserted after laundering of the garment, and without injury to thesheath since the rounded end thereof will readily pass along the tunnelof the sheath without danger of ripping the fabric or threads thereof.

In one important application of the invention, the brace unit,substantially as shown in Fig. l, is sold in pairs at retail as anarticle of manufacture for convenient attachment bythe ultimate wearerto garments such as brassires, bathing suits, slips, playsuits andevening dresses that are not so equipped.

As best shown in Fig. 8, the attachment is effected by the wearerdonning the garment turned inside out, removing the braces from theirsheaths, conforming each to the particular shape of the correspondingbreast outline .by positioning it under or between the breasts,depending on whether the form of garment shown in Fig. 6 or that shownin Fig. '7 is desired and drawing with a light chalk or pencil markbetween the two spans of the wire loop brace along each breast.Thereupon the braces are reintroduced into their respective sheaths I0and the sheaths are stitched to the inner face of the garments at 26,symmetrically of the chalk or pencil line previously marked thereon. Thegarment is thus equipped with its braces and ready for wear, with all ofthe advantages above pointed out of the brace-equipped garment producedby the manufacturer. i

In Figs. 9 and 10 is shown an alternative form of sheath in which theply of fabric that is innermost or toward the bodyis of velour or likepile-fabric to afford protection which, while not needed with the wireloop type of brace shown and described, is useful where other types ofwire braces such for instance asthose made of a single span of wire areused. Of course the velour backed type of sheath could be used, ifdesired, with the preferred wire loop type of brace shown and described.I

The sheath shown in Figs. 9 and 10 comprises a ribbon of velour 2| and acompanion ribbon 2B of bias-cut lining type fabric -of ;si1k,- cotton orrayon. Desirably the velour ribbon is wider than the companion ribbonand is infolded laterally as at 29 with the lateral; folded edgesthereof overlapping the infoldedborderspf the lining fabric. The tworibbons of fabric are stitched together by lines of stitching 3|adjacent the lateral edges of the thin and narrower ribbon 30 which passthrough both the infolded border 29 and the main area of the velourribbon 21. A transverse line of stitching 32 at one end determines thebottom of the tunnel or sac between the lines of stitching 3|. The braceB when inserted in the tunnel between the stitches 3| is accommodatedbetween the double thickness of velour at the lateral edges and thesheath conforms itself, in the manner above described, in connectionwith the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5, to the curvature of the braceinserted therein. The brace is accommodated in the tunnel between thedouble border thickness of velour that flanks it at each side. Thepresent embodiment of attachment is applied to the garment and used insubstantially the same manner as the other embodiment previouslydescribed.

In Fig. 11 is shown a continuous seamless tubular sheath consistingpreferably of a unitary braided tube 35 that may alternatively be ofknitted jersey, and is of effective width such as to fit with littleclearance about the enclosed brace B". The original straight braidedtube is stitched closed at one end and will of course adapt itself tothe curvature of the brace in substantially the same way as the otherembodiments of tube. The tube 35 is stitched to the fabric of thegarment by stitches 36 laterally of the tube. If desired, the braid maybe somewhat wider than the brace and a separate line of stitchingsubstantially like that at l5 in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 5 maydefine the tunnel for accommodating the brace.

In Fig. 11 is also shown a modification of the brace structure. Insteadof the separate clip, the extremities of the unitary length of wire arespaced from each other but abut lateral portions of the wire to whichsaid extremities are welded. Specifically one end of the wire of thebrace has an inturned toe 31 extending from the nested span Hi, to abutas at 38 the other span 20' of the wire brace loop and near the hairpinturn end 2 I thereof. The other extremity of the wire length abuts as at38" the root of the toe 31. Preferably the extremities of the wire arewelded to the contiguous portions of the wire length, as suggested bythe black shading. Thus the wire brace is continuous without gaps,affords a firm construction atthe welded portion, and dispenses with theneed for the clip shown in'the other embodiment.

While the sheath in each of its embodiments is shown on the drawings asstitched to the garment near both lateral edges thereof, it is withinthe scope of the invention and frequently preferred,'to so stitch orotherwise fasten the sheath only at the convex edge thereof, i. e., thelower edge in Fig. 6 and the corresponding or inner edge in Fig. 7. Thusthe brace is free to hinge outward about the seam and will adapt itselfto the convex protrusion of the breast, and this arrangement is quiteadvantageous except possibly for a particularly stout person.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not ina limitingsense.

Having thus described my invention what I 5 claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A bust supporting attachment for ladies garments comprising anarcuatebrace', a sheath therefor comprising a length of lining typefabric having its lateral edges inturned, a length of velour type fabricof width greater than the lining type fabric having its edges inturriedto protrude laterally beyond the superposed; liner type fabric, saidfabrics being stitched together near one end thereof and at theinturned'edges thereof with the outer folded edge of the liner fabricsuperposed over and exposing part of" the width of the inturned edge ofthe velour ty e fabric at each side thereof, whereby the sheath whenlaterally stitched to the inside ofjthe garment with the velour fabricagainst the bo'dy will retain the brace in operative position, andwhereby the brace may be removed from the open end of the sheath forlaundering and reinserted for use.

2. A bust supporting attachment for 'a garment comprising an arcuatebrace, a sheath therefor, comprising two lengths of ribbon, thelongitudinal edges of said lengths being connected and said lengthsbeing transversely joined at one end of the sheath to form a sac, theinserted arcuate brace imparting its arcuate form to the sheath, saidsheath comprising lateral webs for attachment thereof to the garment,said sheath having REFERENCES CITED 'Thefollowing references are ofrecord in the file of" this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,989,303. Alberts Jan. 29, 19352,045,401 Mowry June 23, 1936 2,347,578 Roher Apr. 25, 1944 2,414,590Folb Jan. 21, 1947 2,420,593 Gluckin May 13, 1947 2,426,959 Warner Sept.2, 1947 2,432,910 Licht Dec. 16, 1947 "2,438,062 Licht Mar. 16, 19482,446,437 Schoebel Aug. 3, 1948 2,483,273 Gluckin -Sept. 27, 19492,484,219 Glick Oct. 11, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date805,277 France Apr. 22, 1936

